How do you communicate with the parent / carer whose child has SEND?
Contact can be made via telephone as indicated on this site. Parents interested in our setting can contact us through the information on BCP Council's Family Information Service site. Once contact is made we can discuss your requirements, our availability and arrange a visit for a convenient time. In addition to this information can be found on the Childcare.co.uk website. Friendly, home from home environment.
Through discussion with parents and observations of the child we will plan suitable activities following the child’s interests to meet their requirements in their learning & development through play. We will review progress and continuously plan activities to stimulate and encourage your child to participate in, and develop, and most importantly enjoy.
Our setting is light and spacious, we are a diverse, well-resourced both inside and out, welcoming all-inclusive setting, reflecting the local community and attending local groups. The access to our setting is across multiple levels, with a portion of the garden being stepped; however once inside the play areas are on one level. Although we have a downstairs toilet, due to its size our toilet may not be accessible to all.
We always suggest an informal visit to our setting to get a ‘feel’ for the layout, what we can offer and what you as a parent may need. At this meeting we can discuss the support and needs your child may require. During preparation to start at the setting a Settling in Session will be arranged.
You can contact either Clair or Garry Spencer for References from previous families who have used our setting; also see each of our Ofsted reports. Some parent Reviews and Testimonials are on the Childcare.co.uk website which can be accessed directly by parents considering our setting, prior to making direct contact with us. For any other information you require we will help to our best ability, and should we be unable to assist we will be able to ‘Signpost’ you to others that may be able to support you, such as Health Visitors or Borough Childcare Officers. All our policies, including those relating to SEND, are held in the setting and can be accessed by parents upon request.
With day to day information – whose job is it and how is this information shared? - What opportunities are available for regular contact with parents/carers about things that have happened during day? - Specific information about the child’s learning - who explains arrangements to parents/carers and children? - Opportunities available – additional to normal reporting arrangements – are offered to discuss progress? - How you inform parents/carers about the progress children should be making? - How do you share planned learning and how parents can support this? - What strategies do you put in place to enable parents to support learning at home? - Specific information regarding any changes to routines or staffing - whose job is it and how is this information shared?
We encourage all parents to talk to us and share information with us at the beginning or the end of the day, either personally or through a contact book, and this is our opportunity to provide information on a variety of care and learning areas. Within the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) regular observations are made on children’s progress. The observations are recorded, outlined on a tracker graph, shared with parents and opportunities are given for parents to contribute with their views. Regular communication ensures progress is discussed and learning priorities agreed upon. Each child at 2 years has a Two Year Progress Report which details the child’s progress against the EYFS.
This is shared with parents and the child’s Health Visitor with further opportunities to raise any concerns on learning and development. Professionally we are able to access additional support from the Borough Of Poole’s Early Years Childcare Team. We are able to communicate with outside agents on a ‘No name’ basis or, with parental permission; discussion may take place in more detail, arranging visits to our setting if required.
Children have a key worker who is responsible for their care, planning, observing, recording and reviewing a child’s progress. Our experience enables us to access a number of SEND support plans and strategies which we can use to support your child and review with you, and any external sources as necessary. Schemes are discussed with parents to ensure continuity in an approach.
Through observations and tracking development and using EYFS guidance we will monitor your child’s progress and this information will be shared with you, both verbally, through contact books, and through sharing Learning Journals and photos which demonstrate levels of learning and the areas that need support. We offer ‘Starting Out’ bags ,which are resource sacks to help parents continue their child’s learning & development at home, and our support in approaches to assist your child, can be offered with routines and methods used at home and can also be mirrored in the setting to aid continuity and stability.
As previously stated we communicate on a daily basis, both verbally and written, we also have access to a number of SEND support plans and strategies which we can use to support your child, review with you and source any external requirements as necessary. Strategies could include a visual timetable, labelling or pictures and many other resources. We are able to Sign Post parents to Early Years teams to provide additional expertise. We offer a home environment enabling intimate care, allowing a child’s lead to be recognised and enabling sensitivity to each child, a response to their individuality, body language, both verbal and non-verbal communication as each child is valued and cared for according to needs.
We plan activities, following discussions with parents and monitor progress to allow children to develop at their own pace. We undertake ongoing training to maintain our knowledge and standards enabling us to supply the current approaches and thinking behind the care for all children. Medicines are administered in line with our policy and procedures together with statutory requirements.
Our smaller setting enables us to build a close relationship with you and your child, allows us to have a good understanding of your child’s needs, and therefore be in a better position to support your child. We understand that all children are different and have different needs, and we will follow their lead, value their views together with yours to tailor the care we provide. With written prior permission we are able to administer medicines, and we have policies, procedures and permissions to detail what support we can offer.
Within the setting we hold a Bachelor Of Arts Degree in Early Years, an NVQ Level 3 in Childcare Qualifications, Paediatric First Aid, Higher Level Safeguarding, SEN Training, and we take regular training to update our knowledge and to improve outcomes for children. We have access to Local Authority Early Learning Inclusion Team, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology and Children Centres. Consent must be obtained from parents prior to referral or support being sought.
We have a range of different highchairs, car seats and pushchairs which we currently use and we will also ensure that appropriate resources and equipment are made available. All activities and outings are planned, risk assessed and changes will be taken into account to meet a child’s individual needs. We will ensure that adult/child ratios are accommodated, meeting statutory requirements depending on the needs of the children. Outings require prior permission to be given by the parent and at this stage your views will be welcomed to assist our planning.
If your child moves to another setting or when transferring to school, we always complete a transition form with parental contribution together with tracker records of learning achieved over time will be made available to provide as much information as the new setting may need, in order to facilitate a smooth transition. We have experience of helping children transfer to school, with School visit/new setting visit - where appropriate.
We will aim to provide as much support as your child needs and that we can realistically provide. At our setting we work within the OFSTED rules of three children to one adult ratio. This does mean that our care is shared between all the children we look after and therefore we must bear this in mind when accepting new families. All decisions are made following continuous monitoring and made in conjunction with parents and any professionals that are involved with your child to ensure we provide the best support we can.
Under OFSTED safeguarding requirements we have to put the child’s best interests first and this may mean seeking advice to ensure your child is safe and their wellbeing is met. Talk to Clair and Garry Spencer regularly on drop off/collection or keep messages/feedback in the contact book, by phone or appointment. Both parents/carers and children can talk to either of us, discuss any difficulty and we can work together to sort any issues that may occur. Policies and procedures are always available to view.
Please discuss any concerns directly with either of us in the first instance. We welcome feedback on how we are supporting and looking after your child and would always ask for any worries to be brought to our attention. Should we be unable to resolve the problem then we do have a complaints policy which sets out what we would both need to do. Parents are also able to complain to the Borough of Poole Early Years team or direct to OFSTED as indicated by the poster displayed in our setting.
How do you help children settle into your setting?
We always suggest an informal visit to our setting to get a ‘feel’ for the layout, what we can offer and what you as a parent may need. At this meeting we can discuss the support and needs your child may require. During preparation to start at the setting a Settling in Session will be arranged. Settling in session, wide range of play equipment to allow the child’s own interests to develop. Continuous communication to help settling in is as smooth as possible,
What help and support does your setting offer to children with SEND as they move rooms or move on to school?
If your child moves to another setting or when transferring to school, we always complete a transition form with parental contribution together with tracker records of learning achieved over time will be made available to provide as much information as the new setting may need, in order to facilitate a smooth transition. We have experience of helping children transfer to school, with School visit/new setting visit - where appropriate.
Different strategies can be instigated against the needs of the individual, for example, visual timetabling, role-play, discussion or visits to the new school/area Continued communication with parents/carers is vital to provide an all round support system with everyone being in possession of current feeling/situation/worries/concerns. Visits to familiarise, give confidence and stability. Discussion with child and parents.
If your child moves to another setting or when transferring to school, we always complete a transition form with parental contribution together with tracker records of learning achieved over time will be made available to provide as much information as the new setting may need, in order to facilitate a smooth transition. We have experience of helping children transfer to school, with School visit/new setting visit - where appropriate.
How do you find out how each child likes to learn?
Observing learning, repeat activities to provide continuity, confidence and opportunity for successes. Develop interests and build into learning opportunities. Continue within the characteristics of learning that a child prefers.
Continued open dialogue with parents to aid support from home to setting and back again. Policies and procedures are in place in the setting, that are followed, and these are discussed in advance, and these discussions are continuous to support the child and their needs. These requirements are documented and medication administration is recorded on each dose administered. In turn this information is relayed to parents at the end of each day. Children are encouraged to talk about their care/feelings/medication and this is built on through play and during daily activities.
Medicines are administered in line with our policy and procedures together with statutory requirements. Requirements will be initiated by parent and guided by the child’s wishes/feedback/reaction. Planning, Observation and next steps will be planned with the individual’s abilities and needs in mind, together with the knowledge of the baseline observed and provided either medically and/or by parents. Next steps are planned for from aspirations, prior achievements, likes and needs to move forward in learning in any one area.
Support will be given and shared with home to aid learning together with strategies used to achieve learning. We encourage all parents to talk to us and share information with us at the beginning or the end of the day, either personally or through a contact book, and this is our opportunity to provide information on a variety of care and learning areas. The observations are recorded, outlined on a tracker graph, shared with parents and opportunities are given for parents to contribute with their views. Regular communication ensures progress is discussed and learning priorities agreed upon.
Through discussion with parents and observations on the child we will plan suitable activities following a child’s interests to meet the child’s requirements in their learning & development through play. We will review progress and continuously plan activities to stimulate and encourage your child to participate in, and develop, and most importantly enjoy. Our ethos is to learn through play, enjoy and achieve. All learning is though play and opportunities to explore.
We plan activities, following discussions with parents and monitor progress to allow children to develop at their own pace. We undertake ongoing training to maintain our knowledge and standards enabling us to supply the current approaches and thinking behind the care for all children. We are able to ‘Signpost’ you to others that may be able to support you, such as Health Visitors or Borough Childcare Officers and many other support services through the Children Centres.
We have access to a variety of support services and additional training to facilitate needs. For example, we have access to Local Authority Early Learning Inclusion Team, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology and Children Centres. Consent must be obtained from parents prior to referral or support being sought. There are strategies and protocols set within the Local Authority to support settings and families to assist children. We have access to Local Authority Early Learning Inclusion Team, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology and Children Centres etc. Consent must be obtained from parents prior to referral or support being sought.
Our smaller setting enables us to build a close relationship with you and your child, allows us to have a good understanding of your child’s needs, and therefore be in a better position to support your child. We understand that all children are different and have different needs, and we will follow their lead, value their views together with yours to tailor the care we provide.
Inclusive practice / SEND training and expertise within this organisation
Within the setting we hold a Bachelor Of Arts Degree in Early Years, an NVQ Level 3 in Childcare Qualifications, Paediatric First Aid, Higher Level Safeguarding, SEN Training, and we take regular training to update our knowledge and to improve outcomes for children. We have access to Local Authority Early Learning Inclusion Team, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology and Children Centres.
Consent must be obtained from parents prior to referral or support being sought. Numerous resources are multi functional and are shared between all in the setting. Many are described in the initial description on this site. Playgroups, parks, the beach, children’s farms, and with the use of vehicles many other sites and venues are visited throughout the year